While we could spend hours chomping on toffee apples and watching fireworks illuminate the sky, bonfire night isn’t an event that we can enjoy with our pets.The loud bangs, bright flashes and shrieks of fireworks scare the living daylights out of our pets, leaving them shaking, panting or even running to their safe spot in the house. While we can’t gate crash a public firework display or knock on everyone’s door and tell them not to let off their fireworks, we can buy treats and help to keep our pets relaxed.Take a look at these top tips to calming your pets down on bonfire night.
Plan ahead
By now your local area should be flooded with flyers advertising fireworks displays. If not, find out when and where fireworks displays are taking place and be sure to ask your neighbours if they are planning on letting any fireworks off. Take your pet out for a walk and feed them before the fireworks are scheduled to go off as your pet may become too scared to eat later.
Keep your pets inside
Now let’s get the obvious one out of the way! Whether you have a rabbit, cat or dog, keep your pets inside where it’s warm and comfortable for them. Then, close the curtains or draw the blinds as this will help to minimise the amount of bright light that they see, but unfortunately it’s not as easy as out of sight out of mind for our pets as they have incredible hearing. To dull down the sound of the fireworks, try turning up the TV or radio.
Don’t make a fuss
To help your pets feel safe on bonfire night a little calm reassurance from you will go a long way, but don’t overdo it as this may make their behaviour worse. While it’s hard not to make a fuss, it’s important that you act and behave as you usually would, as showering your pets with affection when they are already emotionally distressed will only make the worse. Don’t make a big deal about the fireworks as your pet will look to you for a response to the noise.
Buy plug in diffusers for pets
To help create a calm and reassuring atmosphere for your pets, buy plug in diffusers. The diffuser should be placed in the room that your pets will be in on the night. This one from Pets at Home (RRP £21) gets to work as soon as you plug it in, slowly releasing its de-stressing properties into the surrounding area.
Buy treats and toys
Giving your pets treats and toys will help to distract and provide reassurance for them. The Pooch & Mutt Calm & Relaxed Range (RRP £13.99 / 2kg) for dogs is complete grain free food, that’s packed with active natural ingredients to help alleviate stress and anxiety. The Pooch & Mutt dry dog food is loaded with 45% turkey which is an L-tryptophan protein rich source, sweet potato, B vitamins, chamomile, brewer’s yeast and probiotics to aid digestion. For cats and dogs, buy wand toys and balls as these will help to keep them entertained for hours and engage their natural instinct to hunt and chase.
What are your top tips for keeping your pets calm on bonfire night? Let us know by commenting below!